Popcorn (1991)

Jill Schoelen and Tom Villard star in the 1991 meta slasher film POPCORN. Today’s post was written by film critic and horror expert Dr. Heather O. Petrocelli (@queerforfear on Instagram). Be sure to follow their Instagram page for all things queer + horror.

POPCORN

1991. USA.

Director: Mark Herrier

Screenplay: Tod Hackett

Starring: Jill Schoelen, Tom Villard, Dee Wallace Stone, Derek Rydall, Elliot Hurst, Kelly Jo Minter, Malcolm Danare, Ray Walston, Ivette Soler, Freddie Marie Simpson & Tony Roberts

When I was a kid in the '70s and '80s, I didn't "see" many queer people, whether in the streets or on the big or little screen. And when I did, my first queer connections were with gay men because lesbians were even more invisible. One of those was Tom Villard, who stars in POPCORN (1991) and who was an out gay man at a time when few people were out (he even discussed living with HIV on national TV long before he died of AIDS-related pneumonia in 1994). I saw Villard in multiple movies, game shows, and sitcoms, including two guest appearances on THE GOLDEN GIRLS, which means I still have brief visits with him during my frequent rewatching of this iconic show. I love so much about this film, which is a love letter to horror cinema, including the three horror films within the film. I adore forever-fave Dee Wallace rocking a dyke-y do, and I NEED to own that Shock Clock (for the record, my birthday *is* this month). This meta film is ridiculous and fun—all while having something to say about the past and forgiveness because "without memory, there can be no retribution."

You can find POPCORN streaming on @shudder (Canada/USA), it’s also available on DVD/Blu-ray.